POPLARVILLE, Miss. -- For the second year in a row Pearl River Community College is a trail blazer among its counterparts in the state.

On Monday, the Mississippi Community College Board announced preliminary enrollment for the fall of 2019 and once again Pearl River is at the head of the class. According to the 10th day enrollment report published by the Mississippi Community College Board, Pearl River is the fastest-growing school of Mississippi’s 15 community colleges. PRCC boasts an enrollment of 5,374 with 72,829 credit hours in fall of 2019. Comparing this year’s numbers to fall of ‘18, Pearl River’s enrollment has climbed 7.2 percent and the school’s credit hours have also climbed 6.4 percent, giving PRCC year over year growth that’s unmatched.

“This a great day to be a Wildcat,” Pearl River President Dr. Adam Breerwood said. “This report is a testament to the incredible work of our faculty, staff and Board of Trustees. We are honored so many students have selected Pearl River Community College to provide the educational foundation for their future. Despite enrollment decreases around the State our college continues to grow at a record-setting pace. We remain dedicated to continued expansion efforts to better serve our surrounding communities. I am blown away by this preliminary enrollment report. The River is Rising!”

The numbers show Pearl River’s success is not a passing fad. Not only has PRCC shown growth from fall ’18 to fall ’19, but the school is the only community college in Mississippi to see growth for seven consecutive semesters.

Breerwood attributes Pearl River’s continued growth to a mantra he believes in to his core by “removing obstacles that impede education.” The student-centered belief is more than just talk. Over the course of Breerwood’s tenure as president, Pearl River has seen troubling trends elsewhere in higher-level education and has sought to be proactive by diversifying curriculum, revitalizing student orientation, expanding student services that increase retention, increasing scholarship opportunities and upgrading facilities.

DIVERSIFYING CURRICULUM

With the ever-evolving scope of skills necessary to penetrate the workforce coupled with the demand for flexible learning platforms, PRCC has developed numerous partnerships and unique opportunities.

“Enrollment at Pearl River has consistency and even growth because the mission is embraced,” PRCC Vice President for Poplarville Campus and Instruction Services Dr. Martha Smith said. "We strive to provide opportunities for where people are now and where they want to be in the future—opportunities such as career and technical programs that lead straight to the workforce, online classes that provide flexibility, and dual enrollment situations that encourage students to smoothly bridge between high school and higher education.”

REVITALIZING STUDENT ORIENTATION

Making sure students feel prepared for the first day of class is a large part of what PRCC is doing to make the transition to college as smooth as possible. The Office of Student Success facilitates that process through its recently revamped new student orientation.

“Over the past three years, participation in ROAR, which is our new student orientation program, has experienced an overall increase of 16 percent,” said Dr. Amy Townsend, PRCC’s Associate Vice President for Student Success. “. “As we have tracked our first cohort through graduation, we have seen a 10% increase in retention for our most at-risk students that have participated in both ROAR and FYS. In addition to increased retention, students participating in ROAR and FYS have achieved increases in credit hours attempted/earned, GPA and graduation rates.

“Restructuring PRCC’s advisement process has impacted enrollment growth. We are making preparations now to provide ROAR and FYS for all incoming students starting next summer.”

EXPANDING STUDENT SERVICES

Providing support for new students beyond orientation is also a priority for PRCC. Making sure they have the accessibility to resources that aid in the student’s ability to keep their end goals in focus continues to be part of the mission. Newly developed eLearning opportunities, interactive parent sessions, and peer mentoring are all geared toward giving students the support they need in order to succeed.

“We have numerous services and programs that help to contribute to our students’ success and retention,” said Student Success Center Coordinator Whitney Chambers. “Because of our success at ROAR, students are learning about our resources early and are able to take advantage of them. Offerings such as tutoring, computer labs, study areas, and additional advisement time have a positive impact on the students we interact within the Office of Student Success.”

INCREASING SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Providing scholarship opportunities for new and returning students has been a primary focus for Pearl River. Service-based scholarships such as band, choir and athletics foster an environment conducive to being a well-rounded student. Over the last three years, the Development Foundation has dramatically increased its level of support, offering 288 scholarships in the fall 2019 semester alone.

The increase in available support for scholarships is due primarily to increased support from public and private foundations and the good fiscal management of endowed investments that are dedicated for student’s scholarships.

IN DEMAND

As if the school’s enrollment and course hours alone weren’t impressive enough, Pearl River currently has a dorm waiting list of 710 students. PRCC is in the process of accommodating a large portion of those students by building two new dorms, which will include about 260 beds. PRCC’s Poplarville campus is also currently expanding its science building, which will house new labs, classrooms and offices. The college anticipates breaking ground on a new Hancock Center this school year and the Forrest County Center is booming with upcoming renovations and new construction on the horizon.

“We have seen tremendous growth and retention at the Forrest County Center,” said Vice President for Forrest County Operations Dr. Jana Causey. “We attribute these increases to talented faculty who work tirelessly to promote, retain and change student lives; and to our local Forrest County Supervisors and Hattiesburg Mayor, Toby Barker, for investing in the education of our citizens.”

PRCC President Dr. Adam Breerwood and his wife Shana opened the doors of their home to season ticket holders for the Gala to celebrate the beginning of the Ethel Holden Brownstone Center for the Arts season. Dr. Trevor Hunt, Pearl River’s Fine Arts and Communication Department Chair, honored the Hall of Fame inductees and thanked the season ticket holders for their continued support of the arts at PRCC.

“Each year the Fine Arts and Communications Department inducts its hall of fame as a way to honor those individuals who have served the college and the community in the fine arts,” Hunt said. “This year's inductees represent those who have paved the way and those who have had the opportunity to walk that path.

“We are very proud of the long tradition of the fine arts and communications department and its contributions to the future of the college and community. We humbly thank all of our season ticket holders and individuals who support the fine arts here at PRCC.”

CHARLES HALE ROBINSON

Robinson was a member of Concert Singers choir, River Road show choir and The Voices Capella group while studying at Pearl River Community College from 2007-2010. He transferred from PRCC to the University of Mississippi, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism, cum laude. While at the University of Mississippi, Robinson was on the Chancellor’s list in 2010 and 2011, named Who’s Who Among American Universities and Colleges in 2012, and a member of the Gamma Beta Phi, Kappa Tau Alpha and Alpha Lambda Delta honors societies. He was also a member of Ole Miss Men’s Glee and worked as a staff writer for the Daily Mississippian newspaper, where he was assigned to the civil rights beat.

He attended the University of Mississippi School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctorate degree with a concentration in criminal law, cum laude. He received the William Gates Scholarship Award. In 2013, Robinson studied abroad in the United Kingdom at the University of Cambridge. In 2014 he volunteered at the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office in Memphis, Tennessee, prosecuting domestic violence cases with a limited practice license.

Robinson was admitted to the Louisiana Bar as an attorney in 2015. In 2015 and 2016 he worked as a felony prosecutor for the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office in New Orleans, LA. Since 2016 he has worked as a felony prosecutor for the Calcasieu Parish District Attorney’s Office in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He has prosecuted thousands of felonies and held many jury trials, including several homicide cases and one capital case, State v. Kevin Daigle.

Robinson and his family were unable to attend the event due to his work on an ongoing case. Ladonna Tyson, Director of Choral Groups and Assistant Director of Brownstone Performing Arts Center, accepted the award on his behalf.

“If you would have told Charles when he was a student here that he would one day be a lawyer he would have said ‘no way,’” Tyson said. “We are so proud of all he has accomplished.”

RAY PATTEN

Patten was a native of Angie, Louisiana, and a graduate of Bogalusa High School. He served in the U.S. Army in the Pacific Theater during WWII. He received his undergraduate degree from Southeastern Louisiana College, his Master’s degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, and completed post-graduate courses at the Eastman School of Music.

After first owning a music store, he began his career as a band director at Rolling Fork High School in 1949. In 1962, Patten became the band director and chairman of the Fine Arts Department at Pearl River Community College and served in that position until his retirement in 1979.

During his tenure at PRCC, the Fine Arts Department was moved to Moody Hall and a new band hall was constructed. He was the director of the Mississippi Jr. College All-State Band in 1976. Patten was the choir director at First United Methodist Church, a charter member of Poplarville Lions Club and was selected by the North Pearl River Chamber of Commerce as its Citizen of the Year in 1980.

Patten’s family was in attendance at the gala and his son, Mike Patten, accepted the award on his behalf.

“I appreciate him being honored in this way. He really loved this college. We all do. It’s been a very important part of our lives and we thank you,” Mike Patten said.

UPCOMING BROWNSTONE EVENTS

The Brownstone season began Tuesday and runs through April 23rd. Upcoming performances include OZ on October 29th, a tribute to the world of Oz. This will feature music from The Wiz, The Wizard of Oz and Wicked. Costumes are encouraged! The Holiday Traditions event on, November 21st, will include performances by PRCC JazzCats, The Voices, The String of Pearls and PRCC Singers. The fall semester will round out on December 7th with the South Mississippi Ballet's annual presentation of the holiday classic "The Nutcracker." Tickets range for events range from $5 to $30 for the various performances. A full schedule of events, including online sales dates, is available at prcc.edu/brownstone/events.

POPLARVILLE, Miss – Pearl River Community College’s Career and Technical students benefit from various professional partnerships the college has established in workforce communities. A recent partnership with the United Parcel Service, coupled with and the helping hands of dedicated PRCC instructors, has allowed students pursuing their Instrumentation degree the opportunity to leave PRCC with a job offer in hand.

PRCC/UPS PARTNERSHIP

UPS has partnered with PRCC to recruit students for their technical operations positions. Pearl River Instrumentation Instructor Dale Miller already has more than 15 students committed to employment with UPS upon graduation. This placement is pending a successful completion of the required written exam and practical assessment.

These students can expect to start out making about $32 an hour and that number could grow to $40 within two years. They also have the opportunity to pick where in the country they would like to be located for their position.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for an international company to come to us (PRCC) and recruit so many students,” said Miller. “I’m excited not only for the students we have now but those that follow them as this partnership grows.”

The Instrumentation Technology program is a two-year program that provides students with technical knowledge and skills necessary for gaining employment as an instrumentation technician in maintenance, diagnostics, engineering or production in automated systems. Sometimes referred to as control technicians or maintenance technicians, they keep automated systems running. Examples of automation may include three-phase motor control, pneumatic control, computer, and programmable logic controllers. The Instrumentation Technology curriculum focuses on electricity, electronics, fluid power, motors and controllers, programmable controls, robotics, interfacing technology, instrumentation and automated machine processes.

“No matter where they end up, these skills will help them,” said Miller. “I am proud of the hard work and dedication these students have shown.”

LENDING A HAND

One of the skills the Instrumentation Technology program does not cover in-depth is welding. This knowledge is necessary for students interested in this UPS job opportunity to pass the practical assessment. A PRCC employee embracing the Wildcat Way was willing to step up and help.

Most of PRCC’s Career and Technical courses are offered on a block schedule meaning Friday’s are off days for instruction. However, after being made aware of the gap in skills training this group of students needed, PRCC Welding Instructor Leland Kennedy offered to volunteer his time on Friday’s to help them prepare.

“It’s great to see our students getting this type of opportunity,” said Kennedy. “If they are willing to put in the work I’m willing to be here to help them learn. I expect them to give 100 percent and so far they have stepped up to the plate.”

POPLARVILLE, Miss – Pearl River Community College partnered with NASA’s Stennis Space Center Thursday for “NASA Night” before their home football game against Hinds at Dobie Holden Stadium. Admission was free as part of PRCC’s ongoing celebration for continued enrollment growth and over 75 young potential astronauts came out for the fun.

PREGAME ACTIVITIES

Interactive booths were available on PRCC’s Poplarville campus behind the Public Relations building where participants were able to visit informational exhibits and experience one-on-one engagement with a PRCC alum who currently works at NASA Stennis. Exhibits included “astronaut ice cream,” space bracelet building, a star coloring station, temporary tattoo stations, and a booth with model NASA rockets. There was no lack of picture opportunities as kids and adults alike lined up to pose in front astronaut suit cuts outs and a massive inflatable NASA logo.

While many kids jumped up and down with excitement at the thought of rocketing off to the moon a few had concerns about logistics.

“I don’t think I could eat that weird ice cream,” said one young visitor.

However, a NASA representative was quick to reassure him that they needed smart engineers like him on their team to improve all parts of the mission, including ice cream.

NASA’S ARTEMIS MISSION

Since the 1960s, Stennis Space Center has grown into the nation’s largest rocket engine test site, featuring facilities collectively valued at more than $2 billion.

In 2015, NASA Stennis began testing RS-25 engines for NASA’s new Artemis Program to send humans to the Moon and ultimately carry them on to Mars. Artemis is the name of NASA’s program to return astronauts to the lunar surface by 2024.

As a result of Artemis, NASA will be able to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon by 2028 to uncover new scientific discoveries, demonstrate new technological advancements and lay the foundation for private companies to build a lunar economy.